The problem of transporting artworks, such as oil paintings, prints and the like, without causing damage thereto, has been one of long-standing duration. The necessity of minimizing contact with that side of an artwork having the artist's media thereon during the transportation thereof is especially important where the artwork is a still-wet painting. In such cases, contact with the side of the canvas on which the artist's media is disposed, or exposure of that side of the canvas to the elements (or environment) can result in smearing and/or other damage thereto. Such a situation is commonly confronted by, inter alia, landscape painters who must transport their artworks from the field while the media thereon is still wet.
In order to permit the transportation of artworks, especially artworks that are still wet, several differing arrangements have been proposed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 728,450 issued to Everett and U.S. Pat. No. 941,212 issued to Tolman each disclose clamps for holding a pair of canvases, so that the canvases are maintained facing one another in order to shield them from both inadvertent contact, as well as from the surrounding environment. Unfortunately, neither of these arrangements provide any manner whatsoever for affording the same type of protection when they are utilized to transport only one canvas at a time, which is often the situation encountered by artists. Further, these arrangements may be subject to bending or distortion during the use thereof caused by the stresses and weights to which they are subjected, which could result in the undesired inadvertent contact with and/or exposure of that side of the artwork having the artist's media thereon to the elements which may result in damage thereto.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,281,031 issued to Shapiro discloses a carrier for artist's canvases which possesses greater structural strength. However, that arrangement relies on the use of the framework of the canvases for providing this structural strength. Such a situation places pressures on the framework that could cause bending and/or distortion of the artwork, thereby resulting in damage to the painting. Furthermore, in use, artworks carried with the use of that arrangement are held facing outwardly so that the surfaces thereof that bear the artist's media thereon are exposed to the environment, and are not shielded in any manner whatsoever from being inadvertently contacted.
In an attempt to remedy the problems associated with arrangements such as those discussed above, other arrangements have been disclosed for transporting artworks that shield that surface of the artwork having the artist's media thereon from both the environment and from inadvertent contact therewith. Examples of such arrangements are disclosed in Swiss Letters Patent No. 250,233 issued to Wales and U.S. Pat. No. 4,081,119 issued to Messmore. However, both of these arrangements are complicated. Wales permits the wet surface to contact a second canvas. Messmore can be used only with relatively thin articles which would preclude artworks mounted on frame. Further, like Shapiro '031, these arrangements also place stresses and pressures on the framework of the canvas of the artwork, which can result in bending and/or distortion of painting.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 3,008,618 issued to Watts, et al and U.S. Pat. No. 1,490,608 issued to Gilmour each disclose arrangements for holding, respectively, containers, such as cups, having contents, such as liquids or beverages, and an engraving block. However, neither of these arrangements are adaptable for use to secure and hold artworks. Watts cannot be used with flat articles such as an artwork. Gilmour does not prevent the surface of the artwork from contacting the carrier. Furthermore, these arrangements are complicated and can prove expensive.
Accordingly, it can be seen that there remains a need for a device for carrying either one or a pair of artworks, such as paintings, prints and the like, which shields that side (the frontside) of the artwork on which the artist's media is disposed from both inadvertent contact therewith, as well as from the elements. There further remains a need for a device which minimizes contact with that side (the front side) of the artwork on which the artist's media is disposed. Finally, it can be seen that there further remains a need for such a device which is simple, inexpensive to fabricate and easy to use.